Swiatek Denies 'Favourite' Label Ahead Of WTA Finals In Cancun

| by Sebastian Dahlman

Iga Swiatek is widely considered one of the favourites for the 2023 WTA Finals in Cancun, but it's not a label she pays any attention to.

Swiatek has generally been rather reluctant to entertain any kind of these narratives, whether it would be rivalries or just in general talk about favourites. It's part of who she is and part of a designed way of approaching tennis to minimize expectations.

Her last outing was great as she cruised to the China Open trophy, so being labeled a favourite makes sense. She is still one of the best players in the world; however, the nature of the event makes it very unpredictable.

That's what Swiatek spoke about as well ahead of the 2023 WTA Finals in Cancun; anybody can really win that tournament, which last year's edition showed as well.

Well, I don't think in that categories because on the other hand you can always say first two seeds are going to be the favorites, or the first seed. But honestly, so many things can happen this week. Overall in any tennis tournament, I stop thinking that way.

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I think any one of us can win this tournament. I mean, Cara Garcia last year, I don't know if she was fourth. She wasn't in the top three I think, and she still won. Same with Muguruza in Guadalajara. History shows that it's not about who's the favorite.

The nature of the event is very different from anything else. You compete against the best players in the world, and a slightly below-average outing can prove your undoing, which isn't a rule in regular events. You also continue the event even if you lose, so that's another new dynamic.

Overall though, Swiatek is certainly among those that are more likely to win the event, let's say, the tier one of favourites alongside Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina.

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